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The below recommended actions and intended outcome are for consideration by the Committee.

Where there is a direct link to a specific evidence base, this will be included in the report drafted on behalf of the Committee, such as ‘Interview with the Head of Environmental Services and Public Realm’ or ‘Urgent Update – Appendix 8 – Information relating to developments with Shared Waste Collections Facilities.

Recommended Actions

Relevant Lead Member/Committee and Council Officers (as applicable)

 Intended Outcome

The production of further recycling focused communications, that are accessible with inclusive language, with the use of descriptive pictures;

 

Lead Member for Communities and Public Engagement

 

Communications Team in consultation with the Waste Collection Team.

 

To assist in both the maintenance and improvement of the Council’s recycling rate.

 

To promote the re-use of items where possible and reduce the amount of waste produced.

 

The production of further communications on food storage; 

 

Lead Member for Communities and Public Engagement

 

Communications Team in consultation with the Waste Collection Team.

 

To prevent unnecessary food wastage and provide helpful tips for residents.

 

Increased messaging from the Council on shared waste collection facilities;

 

Lead Member for Communities and Public Engagement

 

Communications Team in consultation with the Waste Collection Team.

 

To assist in improving the use of shared waste collection facilities.

 

To increase the recycling rates of shared collection facilities, particularly given the ongoing work between the Council and Housing Associations to support this aim.

 

The introduction of a webpage on the Council’s website outlining which materials can be recycled, and where;

 

Lead Member for Communities and Public Engagement

 

Communications Team in consultation with the Waste Collection Team.

 

To provide easily accessible information to residents on which materials can and cannot be recycled, and where those materials can be recycled.

To lobby local manufacturers to reduce the amount of waste they produce;

 

Lead Member for Environmental Services and Lead Member for Communities and Public Engagement.

 

To reduce the amount of waste produced locally.

The promotion of Waste Collection facilities as a topic for review at the next Local Government Association Conference;

 

Lead Member for Environmental Services.

To increase the visibility and importance of the issue, using a platform that is widely accessible and has close links to local and central government.

 

When available, the data concerning recycling rates including good and poor performance across the borough, be presented to the Committee to ensure it remains informed following the review’s conclusion;  

 

Lead Member for Environmental Services

 

Head of Environmental Services and Public Realm.

The Committee were advised that the contract’s re-procurement would include improved technology. The technology would allow for improved data on waste collection across the borough, that would allow for a direct, targeted communications approach in the future.

 

The residents survey include questions on the types of actions that would and would not assist in increasing recycling rates;

 

Lead Member for Environmental Services and Lead Member for Communities and Public Engagement

 

Head of Environmental Services and Public Realm.

 

To find out which types of actions residents would find beneficial in increasing recycling rates,  

Improved communication between Kent County Council and the Council on highway maintenance, with particular reference to the Statutory Undertakings Team at the former;

 

Lead Member for Environmental Services

 

Head of Environmental Services and Public Realm.

 

To minimise the impact to waste collection routes during times of highway maintenance and provide improved communication between the two local authorities.

To consider methods to provide information relating to waste collection to Ward Cluster meetings, similarly to that provided within the Town Centre Street Scene meetings.

 

Lead Member for Environmental Services

 

Head of Environmental Services and Public Realm.

 

Replicating the positive performance and information sharing of the street scene meetings could lead to increased communications on waste collection across other areas of the borough.

 

The initiation of a design review process, in accordance with recommendation one of Appendix 8 to the report;  

 

Head of Development Management  

To ensure that waste management is considered as part of any design reviews, where appropriate, with a formal process initiated as these reviews are currently carried out on an ad-hoc basis.

 

Policy CSW 3 of the Kent Minerals and Waste Plan be given higher prominence within the assessment of planning applications, as advised by the Major Projects Team Leader;

Head of Development Management

To promote the policy’s consideration within planning applications to improve waste collection services.

The Development Management Officers and Planning Committee Members receive training in accordance with recommendation two of Appendix 8 to the report;

Head of Development Management and Planning Committee

To increase the knowledge of Development Management Officers and Planning Committee Members in relation to Policy CSW 3, to assist in ensuring that waste collection and waste facilities are appropriately considered.

Consideration be given to implementing additional conditions, where appropriate, concerning the waste collection from commercial establishments that may generate high levels of waste;

 

Head of Development Management and Planning Committee (linked to above recommendation)  

To support the Planning Committee’s consideration of applications where high levels of waste may be generated, to the benefit of the site’s local surroundings and to support the Council’s waste collection services and overall strategy.

To amend the Development Management Officer report templates used for Planning Committee agendas, to include a prompt on waste collection considerations;

Head of Development Management

To ensure that Officers give consideration to waste collection facilities when presenting reports to the Planning Committee.

Officers be requested to review the public realm design guide, as part of the Design & Sustainability Development Plan Document, in relation to the provision of public waste collection facilities.

 

Lead Member for Planning and Infrastructure, Lead Member for Environmental Services

Head of Environmental Services and Interim Local Plan Review Director/Head of Spatial Planning and Economic Development as applicable.

To support waste collection services and improved recycling rates from publicly accessible facilities, to ensure that these are fit for purpose.

 

 

 

 

One Maidstone be recommended to include street cleaning provisions within their next bid; 

 

One Maidstone

This is an existing service provided by One Maidstone in their management of the town centre; it is recommended to retain this function by including it in the organisations next bid.

 

Kent County Council be recommended to provide a substitute representative when their initial representative is unable to attend a meeting of the Committee;

 

Kent County Council (via their Democratic Services Team).  

To encompass the Committee’s view that a representative of Kent County Council should attend the meeting when requested to.

Pending the receipt of data relating to waste collection services following the new contract’s commencement, the Committee consider whether any further public information and/or amendment to Council policy should be recommended.

 

Overview and Scrutiny Committee; Future evaluation of the review’s impact. 

To support the Committee in considering whether any further public information should be produced, or if any other Council policies should be amended.

 

This could be considered as part of a future evaluation of the review’s impact.